Preview — Mad Girl's Love Song by Andrew Wilson

Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted

A new biography of Sylvia Plath, a literary icon who continues to haunt, fascinate, and enthrall even now, fifty years after her death

On February 25 , 1956, twenty-three-year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter—now one of the most famous in all of literary history—was recorded by Plath in her journal, where she describedA new biography of Sylvia Plath, a literary icon who continues to haunt, fascinate, and enthrall even now, fifty years after her death

On February 25 , 1956, twenty-three-year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter—now one of the most famous in all of literary history—was recorded by Plath in her journal, where she described Hughes as a “big, dark, hunky boy.” Sylvia viewed Ted as something of a colossus, and to this day his enormous shadow has obscured her life and work. The sensational aspects of the Plath-Hughes relationship have dominated the cultural landscape to such an extent that their story has taken on the resonance of a modern myth.

Before she met Ted, Plath had lived a complex, creative, and disturbing life. Her father had died when she was only eight; she had gone out with literally hundreds of men, had been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide, and had written more than two hundred poems. Mad Girl’s Love Song chronicles these early years, traces the sources of her mental instability, and examines how a range of personal, economic, and societal factors—the real disquieting muses— conspired against her.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this is the first book to focus on the early life of the twentieth century’s most popular and enduring female poet. Mad Girl’s Love Song reclaims Sylvia Plath from the tangle of emotions associated with her relationship with Ted Hughes and reveals the origins of her unsettled and unsettling voice....more

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published
February 5th 2013
by Scribner
(first published January 1st 2013)

Community Reviews

I've just read this and her largely autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar, both of which changed my opinion of Plath. I don't like her any better but I have a better understanding of who she was. She was without doubt a very talented writer. But as well as her desire to write, she was equally motivated in her life by her great bitterness at not having been born into the moneyed classes with the consequent entre to a glittering social life of foreign travel, shopping and rich young men. Her talentI've just read this and her largely autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar, both of which changed my opinion of Plath. I don't like her any better but I have a better understanding of who she was. She was without doubt a very talented writer. But as well as her desire to write, she was equally motivated in her life by her great bitterness at not having been born into the moneyed classes with the consequent entre to a glittering social life of foreign travel, shopping and rich young men. Her talent was recognised at an early age and rather than pursuing it with how she presented herself to the world, she appeared happy to look fey and neurasthenic and a bit strange for the sake of being strange. But then, perhaps that choice of style was to do with her age, wanting to stand out as teenagers often do, rather than with her madness.

Madness and it's treatment are always interesting, I think. Just how someone's thought processes change and the sometimes medieval-sounding ways doctors and other charlatans attempt to restore the troubled mind back to where it can function in a 'normal' world. It is especially interesting, to me, in authors and artists where the products of a very different mindset and frame of reference add another dimension to their work.

To me the best chronicler of her own madness was the New Zealand author Janet Frame. Plath wasn't spectacularly mad like Frame, but more deeply disordered in a quiet and depressive fashion. Her experiences in the mental hospital weren't as frighteningly horrible as Frame's either. Or perhaps they were, involving involuntary shock therapy, but the author, Andrew Wilson, is not a writer of the calibre of Frame.

I couldn't find anything in The Bell Jar that seemed a product of a disordered mind but maybe it is more apparent in her poems, which I haven't read, not much liking poetry these days. Maybe I should read it again in the light of this biography.

The book wasn't a bad read at all, I did like it, but Plath did not have an attractive personality (to me) and that influences me as much as the writing and content of the book. Perhaps it shouldn't, but it is hard to divorce the subject of a biography from the writing about it.

I may change my opinion of this book, and consequently this review, on thinking about The Bell Jar. But for now, 3.5 stars, rounded down because it wasn't quite a gripping 4-star book....more

Damn this book is disappointing. It has a wonderful premise -- after all, Sylvia Plath met Ted Hughes in a famous collision in early 1956, when she was twenty-three, and the couple separated in the summer of 1962, after which Plath wrote most of the poems which made her famous, in a single autumn. As the jacket flap copy of this book says, "Before she met Ted....her father had died when she was only eight; she had....been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide, and had written more thDamn this book is disappointing. It has a wonderful premise -- after all, Sylvia Plath met Ted Hughes in a famous collision in early 1956, when she was twenty-three, and the couple separated in the summer of 1962, after which Plath wrote most of the poems which made her famous, in a single autumn. As the jacket flap copy of this book says, "Before she met Ted....her father had died when she was only eight; she had....been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide, and had written more than two hundred poems," as well as winning dozens of scholarships and awards, many for important publications.

First off, I must admit that I have been both a student and teacher of Plath's poetry since the 1970s, and I have read most biographies and a number of critical studies regarding her work. In fact, when I emigrated to Britain from the US, I actually moved a number of said books with me at a time when I was whittling down my overall collection to save on shipping. In other words, I'm a fan and a scholar of sorts.

When I first saw this book last weekend, I was intrigued. New books on Plath are to bFirst off, I must admit that I have been both a student and teacher of Plath's poetry since the 1970s, and I have read most biographies and a number of critical studies regarding her work. In fact, when I emigrated to Britain from the US, I actually moved a number of said books with me at a time when I was whittling down my overall collection to save on shipping. In other words, I'm a fan and a scholar of sorts.

When I first saw this book last weekend, I was intrigued. New books on Plath are to be expected this year, the 50th anniversary of both The Bell Jar's publication and Plath's suicide. However, what makes this one stand out from even some of the previous biographies is that this one focuses on Plath pre-Ted Hughes and doesn't spend a lot of time analysing their relationship, which, to some extend, is kind of refreshing.

Wilson has done his research. He has trawled through the collections at Smith College, the Lilly Library, Cambridge University and various other sources, many of which are private. Previous interviews completed by other journalists and biographers are referenced, as some of the sources, such as Aurelia Plath, are deceased. (Really, this is the time to get in those last interviews with Plath's contemporaries, considering their advanced ages. Has it really been 50 years? Did Eddie Cohen really die in 2008? *sigh*) However, he also has completed extensive new interviews with various people close to Plath (or even people who simply knew her) to try to write as complete an account as possible of her life up to meeting Hughes at the St. Botolph's launch party. (And, yes, I've had students analysing and writing about that particular Hughes poem.)

Basically, I give this book a very positive review because, although I thought I'd read and studied a lot about Plath's 'early' years, I learned new information this time around, which is quite pleasing. This book isn't merely another recount of the 1953 suicide attempt, and I recommend it. ...more

Quite possibly the best Plath biography ever, without taking sides. Sylvia was, after all, only human, and some people loved her, some people hated her, and some really didn't understand her - we get testimonies from all camps in this book. Even the ever evasive Richard Sassoon makes an appearance! Shoots Anne Stevenson's book out of the water. If only we had a sequel with life after Ted... hear that, Mr Wilson?

I agree with other reviewers, this was quite disappointing. Not only is it sloppily written, the insights are also sloppy. Wilson peppers his text with insinuations and questions that are barely backed by evidence and abound in infuriating formulations like "Was it possible that...?" If you are going to speculate, at least have the honesty and courage of going all the way, put yourself out there and say: "This is what I think happened."

The only reason I gave this two stars is because I did get iI agree with other reviewers, this was quite disappointing. Not only is it sloppily written, the insights are also sloppy. Wilson peppers his text with insinuations and questions that are barely backed by evidence and abound in infuriating formulations like "Was it possible that...?" If you are going to speculate, at least have the honesty and courage of going all the way, put yourself out there and say: "This is what I think happened."

The only reason I gave this two stars is because I did get interesting information I didn't have before about periods of time that are not covered in the published journals, and other points of view about her, including her many affairs, especially Gordon Lameyer and Richard Sassoon (and also the awful incident in Harvard Summer School). It also raised the interesting question about the appropriateness of her psychological treatment. Would her life have been different if she hadn't been released so soon from the mental hospital?

There was so much potential in this book, but it's superficial at best. Not recommended unless you are VERY interested in Sylvia Plath and you just need to know. ...more

A biography about Plath's youth? The scholars must be clutching at straws. It isn't so.

Few of the Plath biographies are so relevant with such sharply refined context. This is one of the very best books written about Plath, sheds so much light on her adult life through her youth, and in ways I hadn't imagined.

I have a bookshelf dedicated to my Plath studies. In addition to Plath's published works, the shelf holds works of her major influencers (Hughes, Roethke, Woolf), the works of contemporary poets Plath knew (Lowell, Sexton) and several biographies. MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG: SYLVIA PLATH AND LIFE BEFORE TED by Andrew Wilson is the latest addition to my collection. My interest in Plath borders on mystical fascination. I am attracted to the mystery of a human touching, conducting, and embodying the incaI have a bookshelf dedicated to my Plath studies. In addition to Plath's published works, the shelf holds works of her major influencers (Hughes, Roethke, Woolf), the works of contemporary poets Plath knew (Lowell, Sexton) and several biographies. MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG: SYLVIA PLATH AND LIFE BEFORE TED by Andrew Wilson is the latest addition to my collection. My interest in Plath borders on mystical fascination. I am attracted to the mystery of a human touching, conducting, and embodying the incandescence Plath channeled. I read her poetry, and taste the saffron and wine counterpart to Whitman's "tasteless water of Souls." In short: I read all about Plath because I want to understand. I want to understand even though I intuit that there can be no true "understanding" inspiration, but like any devoted mystic, I keep trying to reach that place beyond rational understanding, a kind of otherworldly participation. That’s why I picked up MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG, which promised a new perspective on Plath's life. Plus: the elusive Sassoon speaks! That alone was worth the price of admission.

Sheer titillation drew me through MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG, which was replete with breathy "confessions" from Plath's ex-lovers. Most of her exes offered plenty of non-medical opinions tinged with the salacious nature of a jilted Lothario's revisionism. Plath is pronounced: schizophrenic, manic, depressed, sexually repressed, pathologically perfectionist, and as having borderline personality disorder. The overall picture of Plath is unstable and entirely unlikeable. This is the nasty effluvia of long-festering romantic wounds, not a realistic picture of Plath as an individual. MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG traces the trajectory of a sexually repressed woman, who is reborn into a rapacious sexuality. If even half of the recounted jilts are true, Plath was unkind to the men in her life. She liked having a steady, husband-in-waiting even as she experimented with kinky math profs and the enigmatic Sassoon.

The only portion of the biography that rises above lurid post-mortem examination of Plath's sexual proclivities is the viewpoint provided by Eddie Cohen. Eddie is a thoughtful, well-spoken writer. His words, unlike the rest of what is presented from Plath's exes, were written when he was in a long-term (Platonic) relationship with Plath. There is an immediacy to Eddie's missives; they are not shaped by Plath's fame, nor are they tainted by decades of resentment against an inaccessible target (a dead woman). Eddie may have wanted Plath, but was enough of a friend to keep writing even after she was horrifically rude to him when he paid her a surprise visit. Eddie enjoyed his discourse with Plath because of who she was and who she could choose to become. He may have been Plath's best friend, and it is a shame that none of Plath's correspondence to Eddie was available for the book.

Plath had female friends… kind of. Wilson refers to them as Plath's "doubles." The women are pale, barely mentioned, and basically empty. Perhaps none of them knew her well, although a few are happy enough to dwell on Plath's "bad" behavior. MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG gives a picture of Plath as a woman who spent her time in the company of men, and had few and tenuous relationships with other women. This is not all that different from many of the other biographies or, indeed, Plath's own journals. She was a woman who felt her power and her potential in the company of men, and MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG is happy to produce the annotated F*ck-A-Log of Plath's every sexual encounter.

Wilson proposes that in addition to her voracious sexuality, Plath's economic insecurity, perfectionism, and lack of fixed identity precipitated her suicide. It's an interesting set of premises that are sadly lost in the static of WSD (Who Sylvia Did). Wilson never considers that the existence of a "fixed self" is not something that is whole and complete in a person under thirty. Trying on different personas is not inherently a sign of mental illness, but rather the way in which a girl learns what kind of woman she will be. It is a shame Plath never got to enjoy the fullness of self that comes with age. This sense of something incomplete, of something interrupted mid-thought: this is what MAD GIRL'S LOVE SONG has in common with Plath....more

I've been looking at Plath as part of my extra English studies and as such, this book seemed like a good place to begin. There are a plethora of biographies which focus on Plath after meeting Ted Hughes, it is truly refreshing to read Wilson's account of Plath growing up.

Perhaps it is simply my adoration of Plath's work that compels me to rate this as highly as I have, however, it is so well sourced and populated with primary sources of information that I think it is deserving. It is obviously aI've been looking at Plath as part of my extra English studies and as such, this book seemed like a good place to begin. There are a plethora of biographies which focus on Plath after meeting Ted Hughes, it is truly refreshing to read Wilson's account of Plath growing up.

Perhaps it is simply my adoration of Plath's work that compels me to rate this as highly as I have, however, it is so well sourced and populated with primary sources of information that I think it is deserving. It is obviously advisable to read another biography in addition, this one ends quite abruptly before her story is finished - shortly after meeting Ted Hughes.

I read 'The Bell Jar' both before and after reading this. It is amazing how biographical knowledge of Plath changed my response to her novel. It is almost impossible to view her work completely objectively and I do not claim to try. Knowing more of the person has inspired my readings of her novel and poetry, 'Mad Girl's Love Song' has been a constant reference point for me during my studies.

I have little skill in reviews so I'll stop here. I can honestly say it was a joy to read Wilson's work, he has benefited my own work more than he can know. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Plath, either academically or casually (if interest in Plath can ever be casual), it is certainly one of the better biographies I have read....more

In the 50 years since Sylvia Plath's suicide, her biographic legacy has been controlled by people who had much to lose by an honest interpretation of her life - namely her mother and her ex-husband. Now, however, with those parties dead, a more honest assessment of Plath, both as an artist and as a woman can be made.The first step in the process, perhaps, was the publication in 2000 of Plath's unabridged journals. But Andrew Wilson's look at her life up until her marriage to Ted Hughes is much,In the 50 years since Sylvia Plath's suicide, her biographic legacy has been controlled by people who had much to lose by an honest interpretation of her life - namely her mother and her ex-husband. Now, however, with those parties dead, a more honest assessment of Plath, both as an artist and as a woman can be made.The first step in the process, perhaps, was the publication in 2000 of Plath's unabridged journals. But Andrew Wilson's look at her life up until her marriage to Ted Hughes is much, much more.

Drawing on her journals, letters and exhaustive interviews with her contemporaries from childhood through her college years, Wilson paints the portrait of a young woman who felt confined by the stultifying society of the 1950's as well as her smothering mother. The result was a that Plath was consumed with rage: against society, her self-sacrificing mother, her lack of money and social standing and a perpetual fear of not being good enough in her chosen vocation as a writer.

That she was talented, there is no doubt. Would I have liked to have been her friend? I doubt that too....more

I've read many books on Plath, as part of my degree and after, and while this book is a fresh take on parts of her life not fully covered elsewhere, it is a bit of a disappointment. It is sloppilly written and edited (the quantity of typos in my Simon and Shuster edition were surprising for a quality hardback) and is fundamentally a superficial journalistic, rather than an in-depth academic, piece.

Wilson has apparently done his research in the Smith archives and elsewhere, but he has a tendencyI've read many books on Plath, as part of my degree and after, and while this book is a fresh take on parts of her life not fully covered elsewhere, it is a bit of a disappointment. It is sloppilly written and edited (the quantity of typos in my Simon and Shuster edition were surprising for a quality hardback) and is fundamentally a superficial journalistic, rather than an in-depth academic, piece.

Wilson has apparently done his research in the Smith archives and elsewhere, but he has a tendency to report opinion as fact and make dramatic assertions without coroborating evidence.

This is an okay read if you've already read around the topic and can sort fact from soap-drama opinion, but if you're new to the story of Plath's life, you could well have trouble sorting evidenced fact from speculative fiction.

There was a good book waiting to be written on this period of Plath's development and its impact on her writing, but this isn't it....more

Kristin GleesonI just read an article about this new book and how she managed to get new material and thought I would take a chance on it. It sounded interesting. ThI just read an article about this new book and how she managed to get new material and thought I would take a chance on it. It sounded interesting. Thanks for the insight. I think I'll give it a pass. I probably learned all the interesting points in the article. It did reek faintly of hype and headline grabber when I heard the emphasis on Plath's attempts at suicide before she met Ted....more
Mar 05, 2013 07:51AM

I enjoyed this biography right up to the very end. I felt like it blamed Hughes for Sylvia's death. Look the biographer may know more about the situation from the letters and the archives but at the end of the day they know the same amount about Hughes and Plath's relationship as I do: nothing. Those two know what went down in their relationship. Of course you have recollection from third party sources but serious it was their relationship. And seeing as it's a biographer's job to be impartial (I enjoyed this biography right up to the very end. I felt like it blamed Hughes for Sylvia's death. Look the biographer may know more about the situation from the letters and the archives but at the end of the day they know the same amount about Hughes and Plath's relationship as I do: nothing. Those two know what went down in their relationship. Of course you have recollection from third party sources but serious it was their relationship. And seeing as it's a biographer's job to be impartial (It should be anyway) that last bit really upset me.

But for the most part this was a well written biography. I like that it focused on the early years. I really enjoyed it up until the end. ...more

I found myself fascinated with this book - after all, so many biographies skim over a lot of Plath's life before she met Ted Hughes. But I did have some problems, mostly with the amount of speculation involved. A biographer's job involves making a story of someone's life, and a little speculation is probably okay. But Wilson speculates a lot about things that "might" have happened or "might" have been one way, and quotes others speculating just as much.

Worth the read if you're a fan of Plath orI found myself fascinated with this book - after all, so many biographies skim over a lot of Plath's life before she met Ted Hughes. But I did have some problems, mostly with the amount of speculation involved. A biographer's job involves making a story of someone's life, and a little speculation is probably okay. But Wilson speculates a lot about things that "might" have happened or "might" have been one way, and quotes others speculating just as much.

Worth the read if you're a fan of Plath or just fascinated with her, but I'd definitely recommend backing it up with some other biographies....more

I wanted to read this book because it was free of the massive problems associated with any biography written about Sylvia and Ted. The Hughes's have managed to inveigle their way into every first draft about the marriage of Plath/Hughes, and most biographers have sided with one camp or other.This would make a book about Plath and only Plath clean of those influences, or so I thought. But while it doesn't have the albatross of Olwyn hanging about its neck, Wilson has taken a position and it doesI wanted to read this book because it was free of the massive problems associated with any biography written about Sylvia and Ted. The Hughes's have managed to inveigle their way into every first draft about the marriage of Plath/Hughes, and most biographers have sided with one camp or other.This would make a book about Plath and only Plath clean of those influences, or so I thought. But while it doesn't have the albatross of Olwyn hanging about its neck, Wilson has taken a position and it does seem anti-Plath.

Not liking Plath seems a natural path to take. She was complicated. According to Wilson and people like Dido Merwin she was a taker. Plath was an ultimate extrovert, mixing with people in order to suck up a bit of their life force, alchemise it, write it. In Wilson's book she appears as the ultimate mummy's girl who rejects all the idolisation because she really just wanted her daddy and it stuffed her up for the rest of her life.

They say genius = madness, well, that's too simplistic, but it certainly meant Plath lived in her head almost 100% of the time. She seemed to have little empathy or sympathy for others because her heart was rarely engaged in her relationships. So was it nurture? Did Mummy love her too much? It seems this could have been one of the issues. Plath could avoid responsibility because Mummy always claimed it and, when she had to grow up and didn't like the circumstances of that, she could transfer her anger and frustration onto Mummy and her lovers and close friends. But does this explain the dark hole in the psyche of Plath? Again, I think this is too simplistic.

Plath's madness may have been chemical and this is the frustrating bit, she's dead so no one can ever diagnose her. Wilson brings up lots of theories, none of them verifiable, there's narcism, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia (no voices were heard though), bipolar. Certainly Plath seemed to be manic and over intense to the point of scary, but maybe she suffered from more than one disorder, as is often the case when a person presents with on going mental health issues.

Wilson has no real answers to all these questions, and these are the kind of questions fans of Plath are still asking. I certainly had high hopes that his interview with Richard Sassoon (another narcissist?), and a cache of unpublished letters handed over to him in the course of his research, might uncover. Sadly they didn't. The "brilliant" Sassoon, the interviews with ex-boyfriends and friends, are simply a conglomeration of impressions in the end. Sure, they spell out that Plath seemed to live as if she was on stage all the time, needy of attention, and a total party animal, but she was also very young and very immature - running the whole time to escape her darker self. Thankfully she expressed this in her stories and poems or no one would know who the hell Sylvia Plath was, not even the (cough) charismatic and insightful Hughes.

So this bio is only important because the reader gets to see how Plath's star was already ascending before her marriage. She was really clever, talented, willing to reach into the chest of a live baby to extract a plot for a story, and completely, obsessively, driven. No man would have stopped this. It does pose the question, did she use Ted to glean what she needed to write her final poems? She was certainly very capable before the marriage and evolving rapidly, absorbing skills wherever she could.

Anyways, too long a review by half. This book was not well written, not well edited, had plenty of holes and leapt to conclusions at times. I wish the material in this book had been used by a much better writer to establish much stronger arguments. However, I think it's worth a read, just don't take it as gospel.

I really liked this biography of Plath's early years. It was meticulously researched and, apart from a few typos, well written, pacy and enlightening. It's been a while since I read anything on or by Sylvia Plath, so some things I was reminded of, but most of it was new to me and I had no idea she'd had such a roll call of boyfriends before Ted! That was some tally for the mid-1950s.

As for Plath herself, I was impressed by her determination and work ethic. Even by today's competitive standards sI really liked this biography of Plath's early years. It was meticulously researched and, apart from a few typos, well written, pacy and enlightening. It's been a while since I read anything on or by Sylvia Plath, so some things I was reminded of, but most of it was new to me and I had no idea she'd had such a roll call of boyfriends before Ted! That was some tally for the mid-1950s.

As for Plath herself, I was impressed by her determination and work ethic. Even by today's competitive standards she really knew how to put in hard graft and she deserved the scholarships she received. Similarly, I was blown away by her IQ and the impressive correspondence she kept up with numerous people. No one writes letters any more - and certainly not such searching ones. I had to keep reminding myself that I was reading the letters of a teenager or a 20-something - she was clearly an extremely bright woman with a ceaselessly inquisitive mind.

I have a great deal of sympathy with her frustrations regarding the mores of the day - the expectation that as a woman she would use her amazing brain and work ethic for nothing more than supporting her family once she got married - and that marriage would swiftly follow her graduation. Also the expectation that as a woman she would remain a virgin until that time, while her male counterparts enjoyed all the advantages of being young and single. She was clearly a woman before her time. She was also conceited and snobbish, which makes her hard to like, but she came across as a fully formed human being in this book and it added greatly to my appreciation of her work....more

This well-researched study on the early life of Sylvia Plath clearly indicates her disturbed personality which manifested repeatedly in her romantic encounters and her scholastic pursuits. A perfectionist, Sylvia was driven by her own expectations which were urged on by her devoted mother and frequently her teachers. She could not bear failure, and her behavior veered between mania and depression, though it appears she was never diagnosed as bi-polar. Her first suicide attempt was followed by anThis well-researched study on the early life of Sylvia Plath clearly indicates her disturbed personality which manifested repeatedly in her romantic encounters and her scholastic pursuits. A perfectionist, Sylvia was driven by her own expectations which were urged on by her devoted mother and frequently her teachers. She could not bear failure, and her behavior veered between mania and depression, though it appears she was never diagnosed as bi-polar. Her first suicide attempt was followed by an almost catatonic breakdown which was relieved by shock treatments; however, the underlying pathology was not addressed. Plath had many affairs prior to meeting Ted Hughes (who was not her first choice, but was a rebound after her rejection by Richard Sassoon). Those of her admirers who accused Hughes of murder, after Plath’s successful suicide, might well realize that his only crime was in marrying such a psychologically fragile woman....more

I really rather enjoyed this book! I didn't really know much about the poet and author Sylvia Plath before reading this biography but I feel I know her very well now I have completed it! The book tells the story of Sylvia Plath's life before her marriage to Ted Hughes, which apparently has not been nearly as well documented as their life together.

This biography redresses the balance with well researched and often first hand accounts of relationships from those that knew Plath personally. The maI really rather enjoyed this book! I didn't really know much about the poet and author Sylvia Plath before reading this biography but I feel I know her very well now I have completed it! The book tells the story of Sylvia Plath's life before her marriage to Ted Hughes, which apparently has not been nearly as well documented as their life together.

This biography redresses the balance with well researched and often first hand accounts of relationships from those that knew Plath personally. The majority of the rest of the research is gleaned from Sylvia's own journals and letters, plus the responses to these letters, making up a well rounded and revealing portrait of the artist and her life.

At the beginning of the book it feels to me like there is rather too much repetition, but thinking about it this is inevitable when you consider Plath's young age and the things that that concerned her at the time. As the book progresses and the subject matures there are many more dimensions of her character to be explored.

Plath was truly an exceptional person but I didn't end up particularly liking her very much - she seemed too self centred and self absorbed not to mention two faced! However this again is a reflection of her genius and her conflicting mental states, which in turn softened my own feelings toward her.

My only criticisms regarding this book concern both the small amount of photographs (there may well not have been any more to include - but I do like a biography to have plenty of images!) and the glaring lack of Plath's work . Yes, I concede there are various references to or snippets of her poetry and prose and there are copious notes to refer to but, especially being a relative newcomer to Sylvia Plath and her work, I would have liked there to be at least some of the most important or relative poems to be included. This of course may not have been possible under legal restraints put on the author regarding publication of Plath' s work. Whatever the reason I would suggest that future readers have a copy of Plath's poetry to hand to dip into and gain further insight into the mind of this extraordinary woman....more

Maybe I just don't care for biographies the way I used to, but this felt like a regurgitating of facts I already knew combined with a parsing of unimportant details of Sylvia Plath's diaries and childhood experiences, drawing conclusions that seemed, ultimately, like guesses.

I found this book interesting because it concentrated on Plath's life before she met Ted Hughes. So much has been written on their relationship! The author's research is evident, making this volume one which both academics and non-academics would enjoy.

For the third nine weeks of school, I read Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson. Honestly, overall I was very disappointed in the book. The brief introduction and some of the reviews sounded very interesting, which is why I chose to read this book, but once I started reading, I was extremely bored. There were only a few times when I really enjoyed Andrew Wilson's writing, but other than that I was confused and almost surprised that a book about a wonderful andFor the third nine weeks of school, I read Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson. Honestly, overall I was very disappointed in the book. The brief introduction and some of the reviews sounded very interesting, which is why I chose to read this book, but once I started reading, I was extremely bored. There were only a few times when I really enjoyed Andrew Wilson's writing, but other than that I was confused and almost surprised that a book about a wonderful and talented poet could be that poorly written. Granted, Wilson did a lot of necessary research, which included countless interviews and hours of studying Sylvia's writing, but I feel like he did not use those resources to his advantage. However, I did like how this biography exposed different aspects of Sylvia's life that were not covered in any other biography. All in all, I would not recommend Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson to anyone....more

This biography of Sylvia Plath's early life is an authoritative account of the poet's childhood and teenage years. The author has had access to previously unseen papers and has interviewed as many of her friends and acquaintances as possible, as well as the more familiar archives. The story is also that of a troubled mind, whose genius seems to have flowered out of her mental instability. It is hard to understand why such a talented and beautiful young woman could suffer from a mental breakdownThis biography of Sylvia Plath's early life is an authoritative account of the poet's childhood and teenage years. The author has had access to previously unseen papers and has interviewed as many of her friends and acquaintances as possible, as well as the more familiar archives. The story is also that of a troubled mind, whose genius seems to have flowered out of her mental instability. It is hard to understand why such a talented and beautiful young woman could suffer from a mental breakdown and want to kill herself when, on the face of it, she had everything to live for. The biography raises questions as to the part her mother played in Sylvia's breakdown? Was the pressure to succeed self inflicted, wanting to be too perfect. Were the problems of being a scholarship girl in and Ivy League University so great? I enjoyed reading it and felt that it helped to rectify the view that Hughes was wholly to blame for her suicide. ...more

1. Wow, this woman was cray-cray. She had deep-seated psychological problems (mostly daddy issues) way before Ted Hughes came into the picture.

2. How may boyfriends did she have again? I lost count around the first ten.

The pros: Wilson had written a well-researched, detailed account of Plath’s childhood, adolescence, and twenty-something period. There’s a tendency to view Plath as a mythical woman, so it was refreshing to see a humanized depiction of heTwo main impressions I got from this book:

1. Wow, this woman was cray-cray. She had deep-seated psychological problems (mostly daddy issues) way before Ted Hughes came into the picture.

2. How may boyfriends did she have again? I lost count around the first ten.

The pros: Wilson had written a well-researched, detailed account of Plath’s childhood, adolescence, and twenty-something period. There’s a tendency to view Plath as a mythical woman, so it was refreshing to see a humanized depiction of her in this book.

Now for the cons: Wilson tended to get into the nitty-gritty of things—I guess that’s a given tendency for a typical “Plath scholar”, but the book was more drawn out than it should be. It became tedious to read after awhile since the same things kept popping up (Electra complex, inferiority complex, boyfriends, money problems, more boyfriends). Most of the quoted passages of Plath’s letters to and from the boyfriends could be shortened significantly and would have made the book much more succinct.

I was ambivalent about this book. It’s well-researched and well-written but I didn’t like it as much as I had expected. It isn’t really something I can quite put my finger on… I guess I’ve finally outgrown my Sylvia Plath phase. ...more

Like any good angsty teenager with literary inclinations, I was a fan of Sylvia Plath. I actually preferred Anne Sexton’s poetry, perhaps because I found her subject matter more tangible, but I spent my fair share of time with Sylvia. When I learned about this new biography by Andrew Wilson, my inner sixteen-year-old demanded that I read it. I was drawn to the idea of a biography that focuses on her life before meeting her husband Ted Hughes.

I was quite immersed in Mad Girl’s Love Song during thLike any good angsty teenager with literary inclinations, I was a fan of Sylvia Plath. I actually preferred Anne Sexton’s poetry, perhaps because I found her subject matter more tangible, but I spent my fair share of time with Sylvia. When I learned about this new biography by Andrew Wilson, my inner sixteen-year-old demanded that I read it. I was drawn to the idea of a biography that focuses on her life before meeting her husband Ted Hughes.

I was quite immersed in Mad Girl’s Love Song during the week I spent reading it. One of my coworkers actually walked away when he heard me starting another Sylvia anecdote. Still, it’s a testament to the book that I felt compelled to share the facts that I learned.

Mad Girl’s Love Song showed me that Sylvia had a powerful but fragile ego. Her sense of self-worth was strongly tied to winning the admiration of others, whether it be through awards, publication, or dating. She put enormous academic pressure on herself in high school and later at Smith College. Having attended a liberal arts college myself, I enjoyed comparing her experience at a 1950s women’s college to my own. She dealt with financial strain on top of academic and social stress. It’s not hard to see why her first mental breakdown occurred at age twenty.

In focusing on Sylvia’s life before Ted, the author seems to be making two points. The first is that Sylvia began to suspect her own mental instability at a young age, long before her tumultuous marriage. The second is that she dated “literally hundreds of men,” often beginning a relationship with gusto before quickly detaching herself. The fact that her father died when she was eight is the most obvious explanation for her preoccupation with men. However, it is apparent that Sylvia formed intense but volatile bonds with many people in her life besides romantic prospects. She repeatedly wrote in her journal about feeling like an incomplete or fragmented person. Did she hope to somehow find herself through other people?

Although Sylvia’s active dating life provides insight into her character, it is also this biography’s greatest challenge. At times the text started to feel like a list of men she dated, rather than a nuanced account of a person’s life. It doesn’t help that Sylvia was often dating several men at once, plus keeping up correspondence with others. Wilson usually alerts the reader to men who will stick around for more than a few pages, but those passages could still feel tedious. I wonder if the information could have been presented in a more compelling way or even condensed.

Of course, I’m not particularly well-versed in biographies, so I may be approaching my critique from a fictional mindset. Wilson had access to unpublished letters, which must be a biographer’s dream, and creating a complete account of a writer’s early years has its own merit. Mad Girl’s Love Song is a worthy read for any Plath enthusiast.

Sylvia Plath is a literary icon known for her confessional poetry, her autobiographical novel The Bell Jar, her tumultuous relationship with her husband and fellow poet Ted Hughes, and her tragic suicide at the age of 30. In this new biography of the poet, released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of her death, Andrew Wilson tells the story of Sylvia Plath’s early life.

Before she met Ted at the age of 23, Plath led a complex, creative life full of the highest highs and lowest lows. Her fathSylvia Plath is a literary icon known for her confessional poetry, her autobiographical novel The Bell Jar, her tumultuous relationship with her husband and fellow poet Ted Hughes, and her tragic suicide at the age of 30. In this new biography of the poet, released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of her death, Andrew Wilson tells the story of Sylvia Plath’s early life.

Before she met Ted at the age of 23, Plath led a complex, creative life full of the highest highs and lowest lows. Her father died when she was eight, and she had a complicated relationship with her mother. Intensely bright (she had an IQ of 160) and fiercely ambitious, she faced mental illness and instability from an early age. She knew the pain of rejection and the thrill of acceptance from frequently submitting her stories and poems to national magazines.

This biography centers upon what Wilson considers to be the main obstacles that shaped Plath’s life, mind, and writing:

- Her father’s death: Lacking a father figure, Sylvia sought to fill his void with a constant stream of men. However, she had a habit of projecting her fantasies onto the men she dated, creating high hopes and visions of her beaus that had little bearing on the reality of their personalities.

- Her mother’s lack of money: Aurelia Plath raised Sylvia and her brother Warren on a single salary, and money was often tight. Sylvia was frustrated by the way her financial situation limited her; instead of focusing on her classes and her writing during college, she was under constant financial strain and had to work to aid her mother.

- The hypocrisy of society regarding gender roles: Coming of age in the 1940s and ’50s, Plath was subject to a sexual double standard. Although it was socially acceptable for men to have sexual relations, women were expected to be chaste until marriage. Women of Plath’s generation were also expected to marry right out of college, crank out babies, and become homemakers. Sylvia, on the other hand, wanted more than a life of caring for children; she wanted to work and create and travel the world. She felt angered by the double standard and stifled by the expectations.Mad Girl’s Love Song seems to be well researched. Wilson draws his information from Plath’s diaries, interviews with friends and lovers, letters to and from people who knew her well, and previously unavailable archives. He also colors the facts with quotes from her poetry and episodes from her stories, essays, and novel.

This is a fascinating look at Sylvia Plath’s early life, but it doesn’t paint a flattering portrait of her. She is portrayed as manic, manipulative, narcissistic, and blind to the needs of others. She is described as having had a fractured, unstable personality and an identity that was “about as sturdy as a soap bubble.” It definitely plays up the mental illness she constantly battled, from her manic highs to her depressive lows.

Although this book made it hard for me to really like Sylvia as a person, it was a very interesting read, and I certainly learned a lot about the her life, her struggles, and the factors that shaped her writing. I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in Plath’s life and want to learn more about the iconic writer.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Plath's early life was fascinating and I think it would make for a for a great read regardless of how it's presented. Unfortunately, I think the author was ill-equipped to handle the later early-years' psychology and Plath's inner turmoil. He reverted to using "Lady Lazarus" and "Daddy" whenever he wanted to present "evidence" of her feelings about her father's death, using little of the primary source evidence he employed to describe other aspects of her life. He mentioned on several occasionsPlath's early life was fascinating and I think it would make for a for a great read regardless of how it's presented. Unfortunately, I think the author was ill-equipped to handle the later early-years' psychology and Plath's inner turmoil. He reverted to using "Lady Lazarus" and "Daddy" whenever he wanted to present "evidence" of her feelings about her father's death, using little of the primary source evidence he employed to describe other aspects of her life. He mentioned on several occasions how she hated her mother, but all the evidence he used presented a loving, protective (if tense and worried) relationship between the two. It was as if he took all previous ideas about Plath and her mother at face value without analyzing the evidence he himself was presenting.

The primary source material he used seemed extensive and I loved the long quotes he offered in which Plath's friends, family and encounters described her. It made the text much richer. However, when it came to Plath describing herself and her situation he glossed over what seemed to be a gold mine: both published and unpublished letters, plus Plath's journals. He more frequently quoted "The Bell Jar" than the journals and letters, which was very disappointing. I can read "The Bell Jar;" I don't have access to the letters and journals. The only quotes from Plath herself were mostly one-word quotations or three or four word phrases. Hearing more of Plath's voice beyond her poetry and stories would have added a dimension to the text.

One last annoyance was his taking up valuable page space to describe fairly common 1950's slang such as "parking" and "bird-dogging" as though his readers have never seen a movie or read a book from that era. He could have used that space to incorporate more direct quotes from his primary material.

I'm sure Wilson had a preponderance of material to sort through and he sifted through it to get a sustaining narrative admirably. The material he was given access to alone was impressive. However, he seemed to take bringing Plath's early life to the masses a step to far, making the book more pop culture/mass market than academic study. I think he could have found a better balance between the two to make an even more engaging, in-depth read. ...more

Because of the publication of her journals and letters, much is already known about Sylvia Plath's brief life. Here, however, Andrew Wilson gives a different take on it. Mad Girl's Love Song, the title taken from one of Plath's unpublished poems, focuses solely on Sylvia's life before meeting Ted Hughes, and incorporates information that Plath's mother, Aurelia, edited out of Sylvia's published correspondence. Wilson also conducted interviews with many people who knew Sylvia Plath, so the idea iBecause of the publication of her journals and letters, much is already known about Sylvia Plath's brief life. Here, however, Andrew Wilson gives a different take on it. Mad Girl's Love Song, the title taken from one of Plath's unpublished poems, focuses solely on Sylvia's life before meeting Ted Hughes, and incorporates information that Plath's mother, Aurelia, edited out of Sylvia's published correspondence. Wilson also conducted interviews with many people who knew Sylvia Plath, so the idea is that there is some new information here that isn't in previous books.Plath's life is really interesting. You can tell just from reading her letters how autobiographical The Bell Jar is, but Wilson goes into even more specific detail regarding the events that later made their way into the book. Wilson also gives an idea of how difficult it must have been to be around her. I wouldn't say the book is unflattering so much as it tries to give an impression of her that isn't colored by our reverence for the dead and/or a love of her work.There are a few reasons I'm only giving three stars here. First off, it was a bit dry at times. Toward the end, I really enjoyed reading it but the beginning parts just didn't grab me. There also seemed to be some typos or maybe just weird phrasing; since this book just came out I'm assuming it's the first edition and those things will be fixed but I still found it distracting. Lastly, the author, toward the end of the book, started jumping in with his own voice, saying things like, "when I interviewed so-and-so," which I don't much care for as a device anyway but the fact that it wasn't employed until one of the last chapters seemed sloppy to me.If you are at all interested in Plath's life, I would definitely recommend reading this book. It has extensive references and a large index, which you know I love. I just don't think it's as good as it could have been....more

It was refreshing to read a biography that does not focus on the Ted Hughes years, but recognises that before she even travelled to England Plath was already a published writer. She worked hard at her craft whilst obtaining a college education, navigating the dating world and worrying about how to fund everything. Wilson doesn't put Plath on a pedestal but demonstrates that she was a complicated woman with faults, insecurities, passions and dreams like so many others stepping out into the world.It was refreshing to read a biography that does not focus on the Ted Hughes years, but recognises that before she even travelled to England Plath was already a published writer. She worked hard at her craft whilst obtaining a college education, navigating the dating world and worrying about how to fund everything. Wilson doesn't put Plath on a pedestal but demonstrates that she was a complicated woman with faults, insecurities, passions and dreams like so many others stepping out into the world. What set her apart perhaps was her determination to succeed and the need to continually push herself further. Any biography will have supposition; there is never any definitive answer for the way a person chose to live their life unless they tell it in their own words. Wilson pieces together what can be known from letters, interviews and Plath's writings. He shows that Plath was pushing against the constraints of society and the expectations imposed upon women and the double standards many of them were beginning to rail against. Plath wanted the equality and freedoms that she saw afforded to men. Wilson shows that this made her both strong willed but also battling doubts as she questioned her mind and the desires she had. I really enjoyed this and whilst some of it may or may not be contested as purely Wilson's opinion, as I said, no one can truly know her mind but Plath and sadly she did not live to write her own autobiography. ...more

I have always loved Plath's work - as a volatile sixteen-year-old girl who enjoyed The Bell Jar, but also as a college student studying Plath and Hughes as a case of melding, conflicting artistic personalities. Wilson's book - recommended by Brain Pickings - is compelling as it confines itself to Sylvia's life before meeting Ted Hughes. Wilson's research builds a portrait of Sylvia as tumultuous and performative, mapping her evolution through her many (many, many) romances. Unfortunately, WilsonI have always loved Plath's work - as a volatile sixteen-year-old girl who enjoyed The Bell Jar, but also as a college student studying Plath and Hughes as a case of melding, conflicting artistic personalities. Wilson's book - recommended by Brain Pickings - is compelling as it confines itself to Sylvia's life before meeting Ted Hughes. Wilson's research builds a portrait of Sylvia as tumultuous and performative, mapping her evolution through her many (many, many) romances. Unfortunately, Wilson leaps overzealously between Plath's life and her poetry, yanking the two together for quick statements on Plath's state of mind and her work. More glaringly, while Wilson concedes Plath's tendency to dramatize and shift the facts of her life in her correspondence, he continues using her accounts without appreciating her unreliability as a narrator. Would recommend for anyone interested in Plath, with the warning that 'Mad Girl's Love Song' is not an especially literary work so much as a patchwork account of Plath's love life....more

"I'm a journalist and author. My work has appeared in the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Daily Telegraph, the Observer, the Sunday Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Daily Mail, the New Statesman and the Evening Standard magazine."

“From the beginning of her development, Sylvia—or Sivvy, as her family called her—came to associate words as a substitute for love”
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“If too much has been made of the symptoms of Plath’s mental illness, so too little attention has been paid to its possible causes. Sylvia Plath was an angry young woman born in a country and at a time that only exacerbated and intensified her fury.”
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